What's the appeal of DMing anyways? Why does anybody

>>55001034

For fun.

>>55001034
Same reasons someone would volunteer themselves to writing a book. To create an entertaining medium for others.

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>>55001034
I legitimately enjoy world-building and having control over dozens of characters. I enjoy crafting scenarios and seeing how people react in those scenarios.

I get less enjoyment out of only playing a single character. In fact, the whole "big damn hero" fantasy almost doesn't really appeal to me at all. I'd just go play Skyrim if I wanted that. However I have friends who enjoy it, so I don't mind DMing for them.

>>55001034
You have ultimate control over the game, all the NPCs, the plot, the setting. Basically you get to run everything but the PCs. Some people see that as a burden, I see that as an opportunity.

From roleplaying the frightened bartender who just saw a man incinerated before his eyes, to determining exactly what a genetically engineered Dragon on an 'paradise' world should have collected in its cave, to coming up with new and interesting missions for the Shadowrunners to come up with, there's a lot more interesting and thought-provoking stuff that goes into GMing than there generally does just running through someone else's encounter.

And while I don't pretend my shit don't stink, I do enjoy ensuring my group has fun.
You've just got to hope they never realise that the world around them is practically just made of cardboard cut-outs, and has no real depth, and don't start looking at the ground too much, or they'll see faintly disguised outline of rails.

I do it because the shit players come up with is great.

DMing is basically like being the dude behind Takeshi's Castle/MXC as well as the narrator. You set up a bunch of situations and then watch players get slammed in the nuts by rotating foam pads and fall into coloured water until they tear apart the stage, build a foam ladder and go throw those two casters into a massive red bouncy ball that catapults them off camera.

Somewhere in there are the kobolds you never ended up using.

>>55001140

That picture is godlike.

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>>55001034
>What's the appeal

Decent GMs are driven to create because they're creative people, while uncreative people see GMing as a chore and so will ask silly questions like, "What does it pay?" Sadly, they most likely aren't equipped to understand the answer.

Sorry.

>>55001395
>while uncreative people see GMing as a chore
Fuck that.
I see GMing as chore because the only players I ever get don't give a shit about the game or anything in it.

>>55001034
I'm awful at dialogue and the interactions of individuals, but great at predicting and portraying the actions of groups. Thus, I can worldbuild excellently and run NPCs decently outside of conversation, but can't play a character to save my life.

I'm also a control freak and like weird, esoteric characters that make for great NPCs but awful partymembers.

>>55001034
Because I'm the only one in the group that hasn't GMed, and doing it for a few months will let me go back to being a player guilt-free.

>>55001449
Well, if we follow the teachings of the poster above, you are an uncreative GM.

Who are we to question his wisdom?

>>55001034
Because I wanted to try oh so many other RPGs other than the local D&D clone we were starting with, and I was the only one who was immersed enough in Paranoia and 40k RPGs to learn all the rules and drag my group kicking and screaming into trying something new. I'm not the best GM, by far, but I do enjoy showing my players what made me get hooked on other fictional worlds and watch them slowly discovering it and having fun in the process.

Personally for me, the people I am playing with would never play unless someone steps forward to DM and organize it. Worldbuilding is a lot of fun too. All that bullshit time fantasizing can actually be applied in some way.

GOD

>>55001034
Same reason people enjoy doing mods, maps, scenarios and campaigns in vidya.

>>55001034
It's fun to improvise stuff.

>>55001034
The appeal of GMing is the capability to have fun by ensuring the group is having fun. the job is all about supplying a framework to the players and sharing in the game they create with it. a good GM always remembers that the best way for them to enjoy the game is to ensure that the players are enjoying the game first.

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>>55001034

The thought other people genuinely care about your creations and you have full control of said creations (and thus the people invested in them) feels good. Thats why writing stories is cool. If you can deliver everyone loves you and doesnt care they are at your mercy.

Second players constantly try to break your plans. Now you can railroad them like a bad DM, or you can adapt and regain control. The ultimate trick is guiding people down a path while making them think they are doing it themselves.

>>55001034
Somebody has to do it.

>>55001579
>Paranoia
>knowing the rules
>using the rules
Mistakes were made.

>>55001034
I do it so I can create and play characters I normally wouldn't be able to, for a variety of reasons.

It is the same as cooking for friends or family. You also sit in the same table as them and eat it.

>>55001777
What I had in mind was mostly the countless hours I've spent poring over DH, RT and DW books, but fair 'nuff, I don't deny it, Paranoia had some teething problems too. It is hard to get my group into the improv spirit Paranoia requires (this particular project is still ongoing, the new edition was shipped to my house like two weeks ago). I'm slowly getting by, but if you have any particular advice, I'd be glad to hear it.

>>55001034
because its fun to make new things

I'd love to DM but I'm terrified I'd get overwhelmed by the work and either deliver a substandard experience or experience fatigue halfway through and end up blueballing my players

It's not like I don't have ideas for stories either I'm just afraid of committment

>>55001777
CITIZEN THESE RULES YOU SPEAK OF SOUND ABOVE YOUR CLEARANCE LEVEL.
AND YOU ARE CLEARLY OF GREEN CLEARANCE GIVEN THE COLOR OF YOUR TEXT POSTING IN A BLUE AREA.

TELL ME CITIZEN, HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY TREASONOUS THOUGHTS?

>>55001034
Depends. For my friends? It's great, we work together to create fantastic stories.

For you fags? I've tried a dozen times. You're a waste of effort.

>>55001034
Because I like to toss things at my players and see how they react.

Some people just like to watch a world grow

>>55001034
Fun. Varied, interacting NPCs. Leadership practice. Storytelling. Hanging out with friends. Memes.

>>55001034
worldbuilding senpai

It's a power trip

And everyone else that does it is shit

>>55002615
The only real answer

>>55002615
t. butthurt powergamer

>>55002145
What if I use yotsuba red

>>55001034
Someone has to do it.

I'm that someone in 9 out of 10 games when playing with anyone outside my primary group, where we have a rule of "one scenario per person being a GM" to avoid eternal GM issues

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>>55002615
>I'm a faggot and good DMs don't invite me to their games.

>>55001034
>>55002615
You know what, fuck both of you. Neither of you run a fucking game unless it's fucking DnD yet again. I am sick of fucking DnD. There are a million published RPGs better and you have access to two that i wrote. Fifteen Years. Fifteen god damned years. I have been stuck as GM for fifteen god damned years because you fucks won't run a game for anyone else and when you do, despite even you yourselves pointing out the massive flaws in it, it's DnD yet again. I want to play literally anything else but I always have to GM it. So fuck you both. Hope you two worthless shits enjoy going back and forth playing nothing but DnD for a few years, call me when you pick up any other damned system for fuck's sake.

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>>55003781
Even if you're not OP, the pic is appropriate.

>>55001034
I want to make people happy. Plus, I want to make up for the one time I tried GMing in my teens (failed for a lot of reasons, but I learned a lot from it).

>>55001034
I like to do something different from the norm and challenge myself mentally. Seeing players react positively to my ideas and actions validates my effort compared to playing where the DM reacts negatively to whatever the party or I are doing more often than not.

>>55001034
Worldbuilding, getting to play characters that would make bad PCs, fucking with your friends, playing the bad guy, making a story, activeley trying to beat powergaming players without resorting to DM bullshit.

Theres tons of reasons.
I wouldnt DM in a setting i dont like, but since im homebrewing i like it.

The main reason for me was that the other guy that DMed had German tier world development by which i mean take tolkien and then remove all the parts that actually had thought put into them.

So i took up the mantle and did something different, now one of the players is complaining about GASP firearms.

Too bad im the DM.

>>55001034
I DM because the other chuckelfucks in my group will barely read the book, let alone be counted on to arbitrate the rules, or god forbide make a DM call that isn't informed by insane alien logic.

>>55001357
>Ooh, that wizard got the whiz knocked out of him, how he's just an ard, heheh.
>Right you are, Ken. He takes thirty-four points of bludgeoning damage. Next up, Barbarian Babaganoush!

>>55001034
Being God, if only for a little while.

But a kind God giving out heroic adventure or rollercoaster rides.

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I DM because I like small-scale tactical wargames, and DMing lets me set up such games as I like it. The players decide on what characters they play, I decide on what opponents they will have so that it will be challenging for me, and once I have designed the encounter and the hostile characters/monsters, I play by the rules and play to win (with my "team" at a disadvantage, but not an automatic loss). Thus I get out of D&D the same kind of fun I get from a good game of Mordheim or Necromunda.

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>>55001034
>>55001726
>>55003486
Somebody has to do it.

At the end of the day, this is what it boils down to. I'd love to be a player, but no one else is even remotely enthusiastic about GM'ing in my group so I have to do it.
Having a GM that doesn't want to be GM is worse than having to be the GM.

And of course I enjoying taking out my anger on everyone by dragging them through the slog.

>>55001034
to make a world full of smokin' hot anime babes

>>55012381
Shit taste.

Because I want to tell the story that the movie didn't.

>>55012446
say what you want, me and my group will be enjoying the babes

I like not having to wait my turn, I like word-building and roleplaying a variety of characters, it has overlapping appeal with the act of making games, I like the rush of thinking on my feet and making sure my players have a good time.

>>55001034
Authoritarian thirst for power and control.

>>55001034
building a world, watching players interact with it.

Watching them pick eachother apart without any intervention on your part over a simple question of taking prisoners or not

>>55001034
Mostly because I felt bad for our DM (who is also my brother-in-law) when he told us he hasn't actually played as a player for 6 years. So I decided to DM a game so he can play for once

>>55001034
Free food.
Adoration of the players.
Free art.
Cheaper than throwing a party each weak.
One of the players is sorta cute and not at all above using her feminine Wiles to her advantage.
It's an excuse to get my missanthrope Mr dark neighbour out of his house and ineracting with people.
Free food.
No one else competent is offering to run game.
Free books.
I enjoy setting up improv situations, much like improv theatre, but again, cheaper.
Free food.

>>55001034
its the only way a game will ever get played

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I like making interesting combat and social scenarios when I DM. Also there is no game without a DM.

>>55001034

Playing a character is fun. Playing all but 4 characters is more fun.

>>55001034

Someone has to do it.
Worldbuilding is fun.
It is fun watching players squirm in deadly situation. Getting frantic. Panicking. While you have power to obliterate them. Make their worst fears come to life. Or to save them.

it is not proper gming if you don't fudge rolls for emotional impact

>>55001034
You still get fun out of it, but I admit I'd rather player certain system instead of running them
Also someone have to Gm otherwise no one will play

For me it has been always about telling others about all those cool worlds and plots brewing inside my head. I suppose it's same kind of impulse that drives people to write books, draw comics or make video games. Basically expressing yourself by sharing ideas.

Life of a DM is a life of sacrifice. They DM so that others don't have to.

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>>55001034
DM's are little girls and players are their dolls moving at their whim in their dollhouse.

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>>55012142

>>55003781
Is this pasta?

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I thoroughly enjoy creating different areas and the characters that live there

And nothing makes me happier than seeing my players get invested in a place or person iv created

>>55025056
None of that motivational poster shit really describes Jake the Dog

>>55001034
Because the only way for the campaigns you wish you could play into exist is if you're the GM, because nobody wants to run a campaign premise+setting given to them by one of the players. GM's paradox.

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>>55001034
Because I can give you a waifu, have her bring you fresh bread every single time you come back from an adventure, worry over your safety whenever she notices you're injured, then have you return one day to find her being railed by the fat old local pig farmer.

That is the true power of a DM

>>55001034
It's the best role to fill if you like scheming. Especially if you have a player in the group that's "in" on it with some meta knowledge and can help push the group in the right directions, or aid in setting up for various reveals.

>>55026410
I think I like you. We have just the same style of DM-ing.

>>55001034
Spite, rest of my group is shit at it so I must show them the golden path

>>55026410
You're a cruel bastard.

I like that.

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Because no one else in my group has the free time to write a campaign.

>>55001034
More creative control over the setting, for technical control over the gameplay.

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>>55001034
Because I want to tell the story about a world that didn't get a chance to tell its story. When the time comes that I can get players to not give up through a couple years of sessions, I'll be done GMing.

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>>55001034
Because I enjoy seeing players develop desires. I enjoy seeing people get invested in never-before-seen settings and having players develop wants related to it. Only to take them away or paint them as demonic for ever wanting such things in the first place.

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Because I enjoy creating as well as presenting scenarios and watching the players do what they will with them.

My DMing is their fuel and the byproduct is their engagement, which in turn is used as fuel for my DMing.

It's simple. especially when your group of players are your close circle of friends

>>55001065
That, and nobody will do it in my group. But yea, I enjoy creating a narrative and the faces they make when they discover items, get scared of the monster or try to solve a puzzle.

>>55015507
You're doing the Lord's work Anon. I believe that one should play a game from both sides of the screen to get the full experience of any game.

>>55001049

Jesus christ anon, spoiler that shit, it will shock the children!

>>55001034
It's satisfying to please your players, but for me it's more about seeing them come up with interesting story bits (we do a lot of collaborative storytelling) and fun outside-the-box strategies. It helps that we have a really good group.

I enjoy creating a place where folks can go and entertain me. I look at it as a creative collaboration with my role being a cross between director and audience. A good crew provides actors, writers, sets, plot twists, etc. I just sit back and enjoy!

I can't trust anyone else to DM more than a couple sessions, and when they do the game sucks. If I DM I can avoid playing through a 3 hour combat slog or listen to someone RP with their npcs for just as long.

I also really like coming up with magical items, and goofy characters that would get boring after an hour of playing them.

>>55001034
Being the DM I want to play with.

>>55001777
No anon, he was leading the group. The Computer has given people leading groups ultraviolet clearance to know the rules. Unfortunately, knowing that requires ultraviolet clearance, which I don't have, so I'll be finding the nearest disposal booth now to make sure I don't reveal classified information.

>>55001034
Nobody else is going to do it and I want to make stories and write dialogue.

>>55001979
I don't think the Computer would approve of us discussing such information on an unsecured line. The commies might be watching. Stay aware, and stay safe comrade.

>>55002145
What is your clearance level to question his clearance level Citizen? As a precaution Citizen, we require you to complete the following survey.

The last time I met with my fellow Communist conspirators was:
A) Over 6 months ago
B) 3-6 months ago
C) 1-3 months ago
D) Within the past month

Remember Citizen, friend Computer requests and demands your honesty and timeliness.

dis Paranoia thread nao?

>>55012470
Salut!

The Devil gets all the best lines.

>>55001034
You gotta get the ball rolling somehow. If you want to play DnD but no one in your group of friends wants to DM, you wont be getting anywhere.

>>55012142
This.